Game Changers (Ages 14-17)

Gamechangers

Empathy and Love for Grandpa Inspires Teen

Teens, in many ways, connote “trouble.” Neuroscientists describe the teen brain as slow to mature when it comes to impulse control and ability to plan ahead. However, in terms of intellectual power, a teen’s brain can match that of an adult’s. This high school teen’s love for his grandfather stirred him to use his tech-savvy brain to invent a sensor-based digital solution to the wandering tendencies of those affected by Alzheimer’s. His invention is simple yet powerful. Currently more than 5 million Americans have Alzheimer's and one grandfather's challenge inspired a solution that can help those afflicted by the disease.

This summer 2015, we celebrate teen creativity with an innovative summer studio called Game Changers. When inspired, teens provide imaginative insights to solving world problems and come up with amazing life-changing innovations.

game changers (ages 14-17, FEE $1,200 FOR 3 WEEKS)

An Innovative summer camp foR high school design entrepreneurs

EXPERIENCE LEARNING THE SILICON VALLEY WAY

Have an idea to improve the world?

Want to build your idea into a business?

Want to differentiate yourself in your college applications?

Tired of just complying with school? Why not explore your passions?

Want to make new friends and work in a fun team?

Do something meaningful this summer

At Young Outliers, our goal is to help you discover your passions, develop your potential, and inspire you to create a better world through design entrepreneurship. For three weeks, find yourself in an exciting learning environment where ideas fill the air and the possibilities are endless. All we ask is that you come with an open mind.

SUMMER STUDIO GOALS

The three weeks you spend with us will be anything but ordinary.

Learn to think analytically, creatively, and resourcefully using design thinking processes and lean start up concepts.

Articulate your thoughts and ideas in a safe space, without fear of grades falling or negative social pressure.

Combine ideas, imagination and insight with technology to build new products and services, all while having fun.

Compete to get your project funded by angel investors. Kickstart your career in high school. Build an exceptional college application portfolio.

Connect with peers, young learners, and compassionate teachers. Find happiness in a positive, diverse community.

A fun and exciting summer paying job or community service credit. THE GAME CHANGERS STUDIO CONSISTS OF 5 PARTS:

Paid internship - For 3 hours/weekday for 3 weeks, support summer camp teachers by facilitating activities and helping with materials and other services as needed. Learn from young learners and get paid $10 per hour of employment.

Design Thinking - Discover the fundamentals of design thinking. Observe, approach problems from multiple perspectives, empathize, ideate, design, and iterate. Work in teams and learn to build on each other’s strengths.

Lean Start-Up - Learn to move and pivot quickly using the business model canvas. Build and test a minimum viable product. Determine: "Should this product be built?" and "Can we build a sustainable business around this set of products and services?"

Digital Media - Get started on the basics of Photoshop, online website-building templates, presentation software and various programming tools. While we will encourage students to learn and use coding, it will not be a requirement for course completion.

Start-Up Fund Competition - On the final day, present your business ideas in teams to compete for initial funding and advising. Young Outliers is partnering with key players in 500 Start Ups, leading VC firm Kleiner Perkins KPBC, and successful VCs in the Silicon Valley to provide funding and feedback on Game Changer ideas.

ALL THE AWESOME THINGS WE CAN BE…

Whether you’re a self-confessed introvert or the life of the party, knowing how to lead and how to get along well with others are indispensable skills. Through the Game Changers workshops, our hope is to see you graduate from Young Outliers with these 10 Silicon Valley traits:

Thomas Varghese, Angel Investor and Entrepreneur is Co-Facilitator and Mentor

Thomas is a melomaniac, strategic investor, startup accelerator and entrepreneur with a unique combination of business and technical skills. Thomas serves on several private corporate boards including non-profits like BootUp Academy, San Francisco Classical Voice and Ventana School and is very active as a mentor and strategic angel investor, sharing his proven ability to set strategies and business models in rapidly emerging markets and create companies that are thought leaders and visionary. He has successfully grown companies from zero to profitability by recruiting key talents and providing vision and strategic direction. Most recently he was a Vice President at Oracle Corporation driving business, technology and product strategy.

He is passionately involved in education and has helped launch and build companies like MasteryConnect, Novare Education and iSoccer to help parents and educators with tools to inspire students to become life-long, self-motivated learners. Furthering one’s knowledge and developing the skills needed throughout life, can enhance students’ understanding of the world around them, provide them with more opportunities and improve our quality of learning and living.

Thomas believes that students should be consistently challenged by project work centered around principles of Design Thinking and the investigation of Big Ideas. In today’s times, it’s important to identify struggles to provide learning opportunities that can meet students’ needs in order to stretch their potential and that honors each individual student in preparation for their future. This type of insightful analysis help further their knowledge and develop the needed skills but requires different tools and environments that a traditional school environment cannot offer.

Thomas is engaged with the Young Outliers team to help develop experiences that can enhance students’ understanding of the world around them, provide them with more opportunities and improve their quality of learning and living.